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W. GRUNOW, Jr. DEPRESSIBLE RAIL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

No. 600,527. Patented Mar. 15,1898.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. GRUNOW, Jr. DBPRESSIBLE RAIL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

No. 600,527. Patented Mar. 15, 1898.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

, W. GRUNOW, Jr.

DEPRESSIBLE RAIL SYSTEM FOR ELBGTRIG RAILWAYS.

No. 600,527. Patented Mar. 15, 1898.

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NiTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM GRUNOW, JR, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ZALMON GOODSELL, OF SAME PLACE.

DEPRESSlBLE-RAIL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,527, dated March 15, 1898. Application filed Apri112, 1897. Serial No. 631,699- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM GRUNOW, J r., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Depressible- Rail Systems for Electrical Railways,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric railways designed to carry the current in safety and to be adapted to switches, curves, and at crossovers and to operate cars on steam-roads, elevated structures, bridges, and on streets by a continuous electric depressible third rail laid between the tracks of the railroad, and particularly to those wherein a depressible rail is employed to make contact with the source of supply; and it consists in certain improvements upon the construction for depressible rails heretofore patented by me; and the particular objects of this invention are to simplify and cheapen the construction heretofore employed and to provide a simple and positive method of making contact wherein a contact-receptacle is employed containing mercury, the depressible rail being movably supported above the receptacles upon the upper portion of the reciprocating contact device, adapted to be depressed into the mercury, which is provided with electrical connections; and with these and other objects in view the invention consists in a construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section through one of the contact-receptacles and the depressiblerail section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the contact-receptacles secured in position upon the track-ties, a portion thereof being broken away and showing the depressible rail mounted above the receptacle in operative position. Fig.3 is atop plan viewof the depressible rail and the contact-receptacle. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a street-railroad bed, showing the contact-box and depressible rail in section and the manner of inclosing same by guard-plates; and Fig. 5 is a plan View of contact-box without cover, showing a continuous feedercable running through the same and the manner of connection with the mercury or its receptacle.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views.

In carrying my invention into practice I preferably employ contact receptacles or boxes 0 of any desired construction and which may be formed of metal or other suitable substance, and these receptacles or boxes are preferably constructed with a flange or extension B, through which are formed holes or openings D, through which screws or bolts are inserted to secure the receptacles in the desired position upon the track-ties -E, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4- of the drawings, and these receptacles or boxes are also provided with tops or covers C, preferably secured thereto by means of bolts or screws Gr, and, if found necessary, in practice packing may be employed between the top of the receptacles and the covers to exclude moisture from the interior of the receptacles.

The tops or covers 0 of the receptacles or boxes 0 are preferably provided with cen tral depending tubular portions L, having formed thereon internal annular shoulders Z Z, adapted to receive a stui'iing-box 0, provided with an annular outwardly-directed flange C, which engages or rests upon the upper shoulder Z of the tubular portion L of the top or cover 0 to limit the downward movement of the stuffing-box 0", and the object of this stuffing-box is to exclude moisture from the interior of the contact receptacle or box 0.

Within the stuffing-box C is located a metallic sleeve S, the upper portion of which is provided with oppositely-directed arms S, the extremities of which rest upon spiral springs X, mounted upon the upper surface of the top cover 0 of the contact receptacle or box 0, and these arms are secured inapermanent position upon the springs X by means of adjusting screws or bolts Y, which serve to limit the upward thrust of the spring X and also to secure the alinement of the depressible rail.

WVithin the sleeve S is secured an insulating-sleeve or bushing S, which surrounds the contact device T and insulates the same from the adjacent portions of the contact receptacle or box, and to the lower end of the contact device or rod T is connected an enlarged head or knob t, adapted to firmly hold the insulating-sleeve S and outer metallic sleeve S together and at the same time to afford a greater surface for contact with the mercury M, retained in a receptacle M,

' mounted by means of screws or bolts upon an insulating-block M, secured to the bottom of the contact receptacle or box 0.

The upper portion of the contact device or rod T is bifurcated'or recessed to admit the base of the depressible rail R, which is secured therein by means of bolts or screws U, and it will be' understood that this depressible rail B may be of any desired construction and that the same is supported and maintained in an elevated position by means of the springs X, and the elevation of this rail can be determined by means of the adj usting screws or bolts Y, and the resistance to the downward pressure of the rail R can be determined by the strength of the springs employed, and also these springs X can be inclosed Within a hood or similar device to protect them against the effects of water, snow, and ice.

The depressible rail B may be used in independent sections, or it can be built and connected as one continuous rail divided into sections each of which may be insulated from the other, and this rail may, if desired, be surrounded by creosoted wood or other suitable insulating material, with the exception of its upper surface, which must remain unobstructed to afford contact.

The contact-receptacles or boxes herein described are preferably placed at predetermined distances apart and bolted or otherwise secured to the track-ties.

The receptacle M for the mercury (shown in Figs. 1 and 2) is preferably provided at opposite sides with clamps h h to receive and hold the extremities of the feeder-cable F, which connect each of the contact receptacles or boxes 0 and which transmits the generated current from box to box, and this feedercable may be inclosed in iron piping P to protect it from moisture and injury, as shown in Fig. 2.

' The operation of this invention will be understood from the foregoing description. when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the following explanation thereof': This depressible rail is peculiarly adapted to operate in connection with trolleywheels such as described in Patents No. 579,576, granted to me March 30, 1897, and No. 567,975, granted to me September 22, 1896; but it is obvious that the invention may be employed with any suitable contact device; but when the above-mentioned trolley-wheels are employed in connection with this form of depressible rail the same will be forced downwardly thereby, thus pressing the contact device T into the mercury M and making contact with one circuit of a generated current and transmitting it to the depressible-rail R, the return current being in the tracks. As the trolley-wheels pass over the depressiblerail sections the same will rise by the action of the springs X until the upward movement thereof is limited by the adjusting-bolts Y, and when in an elevated position the rail becomes dead.

For street-railway purposes or at steamrailroad crossings the depressible rails, with their contact-boxes, are inclosed in a slotted duct, Fig. 4, consisting of a substructure of ribbed cast-iron or steel girders E E, having flanges wherebythey can rest on and be socured by bolts or screws to the track-ties.

To the upper flanges of the girders E E are bolted separate guard or surface plates E E, of wrought iron or steel,which reach over the depressible rail and form a slot clear above the third rail, or the third rail can be constructed to lie level with the street inside the slot.

In Fig. 5 I have shown how the feeder-cable F may be run through box to box in a continuous unbroken length or piece. A finger or connector K,of steel oriron,with clampscrew K, is secured to the feeder-cable F and extends over and into the mercury M, Figs. t and 5.

I do not desire to confine myself to the peculiar construction and arrangement of the parts herein set forth, and I therefore reserve the right to make all such alterations in and modifications of the same as fairly come within the scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An electrical contact system consisting of contact-receptacles having a tubular projection formed in the cover thereof and being provided with a mercury-receiver, connections between the receiver and source of electrical supply, a sleeve movably mounted in said tubular projection and having outwardly-directed arms, means for supporting said arms, a contact device carried by said sleeve and a depressible rail connected with the contact device and adapted to be charged when depressed.

2. An electrical contact system consisting of contact-receptacles having a tubular projection formedin the cover thereof and being provided with a mercury-receiver, connections between the receiver and source of electrical supply, a sleeve movably mounted in said tubular projection and having outwardly directed arms, springs supporting said arms, a contact device carried by said sleeve and a depressible rail connected with the contact device. I

3. An electrical contact system consisting of contact-receptacles having an integral tubular projection formed in the cover thereof and being provided with a mercury-receiver, connections between the receiver and source of electrical supply, a sleeve movably mounted in said tubular projection and having outwardly-directed arms,spriugs supporting said arms, an insulated contact device carried by said sleeve and having a bifurcated upper portion and a depressible rail mounted in said bifurcated upper portion.

4. An electrical contact system consisting of contact-receptacles having a tubular projection formed in the cover thereof and being provided with a mercury-receiver, connections between the receiver and source of electrical supply, a sleeve movably mounted in said tubular projection and having outwardlydirected arms, springs supporting said arms, an insulated contact device carried by said sleeve and having a bifurcated upper portion and an enlarged lower extremity adapted to contact with said mercury and a depressible rail mounted in said bifurcated portion.

5. An electrical contact system consisting of a contact-receptacle having a tubular projection formed in the cover thereof and being provided with a mercury receiver, connections between the mercury-receiver and the source of electrical supply, a sleeve mounted in said tubular projection and having outwardly-directed arms, an insulated contact device carried by said sleeve and having a bifurcated upper portion and a removable lower portion adapted to contact with the and a depressible rail mounted in said bifurcated portion 6. In an electrical contact system the combination with parallel segmental plates having exterior curved ribs and upper and lower horizontal attaching flanges, and curved guard-plates secured to the upper horizontal flanges, of contact-receptacles located within said plates and having a tubular projection formed in the cover thereof and being pro vided with a mercury-receiver, connections between the receiver and source of electrical supply, a sleeve mounted in said projection and having outwardly-directed arms, springs supporting said arms, a contact device carried by said sleeve, a depressible rail connected with the contact device and means adapted to travel between said guard-plates and be guided thereby to depress said rail.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 1st day of April, 1897.

WILLIAM GRUNOW, JR. \Vitnesses:

ZALMON GooDsELL, H. F. Noncnoss. 

